Since 1975 Minnesota attorneys have been required to complete 45 credit hours of continuing education every three years, and each attorney is responsible for keeping his or her own records of courses attended. Each year one-third of the Minnesota practicing bar must report to the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education regarding the number of CLE credits they have earned over the past three-year period. A reporting category, which appears in the upper left-hand corner of your wallet license, is assigned to each attorney.

PERIOD

CATEGORY

REPORTING DATE

7/1/2015 - 6/30/2018

# 1

6/30/2018

7/1/2016 - 6/30/2019

# 2

6/30/2019

7/1/2014 - 6/30/2017

# 3

6/30/2017

The Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education approves courses for credit and is the office to which you must report your credits. You may obtain an Affidavit of Compliance form by contacting them at 651-297-7100 or visiting the Minnesota State Board of CLE website.

Minnesota CLE is not the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education. Minnesota CLE is a non-profit subsidiary of the Minnesota State Bar Association and the largest producer of seminars in Minnesota. Minnesota CLE does not approve courses for credit. Minnesota CLE keeps a record of the Minnesota CLE seminars you have attended, but does not report credits to the State Board.

Remember, you must report your credits to the Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education.

The Minnesota State Board of Continuing Legal Education should not to be confused with Minnesota Continuing Legal Education. The State Board approves courses for credit and is the office to which Minnesota-licensed attorneys must report their CLE credits.

The State Board of Continuing Legal Education has general supervisory authority over the administration of the Supreme Court Rules for Continuing Legal Education of Members of the Bar. The Board accredits courses and programs that satisfy the educational requirements of the Rules, and discovers and encourages the offering of such courses and programs. The Board is subject to the direction and supervision of the Minnesota Supreme Court.

Any questions relating to your attorney license requirements should be directed to the State Board of Continuing Legal Education. Visit the State Board's frequently asked questions for more information.

The Minnesota Supreme Court issued an order making ethics and diversity training mandatory for Minnesota attorneys. As of July 1, 1996, lawyers licensed in Minnesota are required to take three hours of ethics courses and two hours of elimination of bias training as part of the 45 credit requirement to keep their attorney licenses up to date.

The Rules of the State Board of Continuing Legal Education incorporate the concept that there are now three subcategories of CLE: Standard CLE, Ethics/Professional Responsibility CLE, and Elimination of Bias CLE.

In order to be approved as ethics or professional responsibility under these rules, courses or sessions within courses must be at least 30 minutes, and must be separately identified as Ethics or Professional Responsibility.

In order to be approved as elimination of bias courses, courses or sessions within courses must be at least 60 minutes in length and must be identified as fulfilling the Elimination of Bias requirement, and must focus on issues in the legal profession and in the practice of law and not upon issues of bias in society in general.

Please note that this is just a short summary of changes in the Rules of Continuing Legal Education in Minnesota. If you wish, you may review the complete Rules.

On December 19, 2000, the Minnesota Supreme Court promulgated amendments to Rule 114.13(g) of the General Rules of Practice. The amendments change the continuing education reporting periods for neutrals. ADR neutrals no longer report continuing education on an annual basis. The amendments align ADR Continuing Education reporting periods with the CLE reporting periods of attorney neutrals. Non-attorney neutrals have been randomly assigned to reporting periods. The amendments change the number of credits due in a reporting period.

Please note the following information regarding the reporting periods.

Minnesota CLE has general credit approval with the states of Wisconsin, North Dakota, and California. This means that if you are licensed in one of these states and take a course from Minnesota CLE, you will receive credit from that state's licensing board without having to apply on a course-by-course basis. (Note that the reverse – taking a course offered in one of these states – does not automatically result in approved credit by the Minnesota State Board of CLE.)

For states other than those listed above, you need to contact the attorney licensing agency in that state to find out what their particular requirements are for accreditation. Minnesota CLE will provide you with a certificate of attendance and a brochure that contains the program schedule and a list of faculty.

Finally, to get courses you have taken outside of Minnesota approved for credits toward maintaining your Minnesota license, you need to apply to the Minnesota State Board of CLE.

If a special type of credit other than CLE credit has been applied for, it will be clearly stated in the brochure. If the type of credit you are seeking does not appear in the brochure, please call your accrediting agency. We will provide you with a certificate of attendance and a brochure that contains the course schedule and list of faculty to facilitate your application.

For general CEU credits, contact your accrediting college or university.